Are You Attracting Quality Leads or Meaningless Site Chatter?
08 Jul 2014 Leave a Comment
in Web Tags: metrics, QR codes, Sales, SEO
social media chatter
No company wants to pour money into a marketing effort and get nothing in return. It’s common for marketing professionals to track numerous metrics in an effort to gauge the success of their campaigns. Unfortunately, many are monitoring the wrong thing, and that can be dangerous.
What metrics don’t matter?
It doesn’t matter how many people visit your website. Some people might argue with that and try to talk about brand exposure or sales funnels, but think about something. Say you do a massive overhaul of your website. You really focus on optimizing content, creating a clean and attractive layout, and improving your search engine ranking. Your site traffic jumps by a shocking 200 percent! Wow! Congratulations! What does that mean? Nothing.
The jump in traffic is only significant if the number of conversions jumps with it. If you received 10 quality leads per week on your old site and you receive 10 quality leads per week on the new site, your jump in traffic actually means your site is now performing worse. If you were only monitoring your site traffic, however, you might be tempted to say that the overhaul was a huge success. This can be detrimental to your business in the long run.
The same thinking applies to social media followers or even physical bodies in the store. What matters is quality leads and potential conversions. These are the metrics you should be tracking. Site traffic is only important for comparison purposes to see the percentage of visitors who convert.
Finding quality leads
The most important aspect of finding quality leads is developing content that offers value to your ideal customer. You should have a good idea of the type of customer you’re looking to attract. This includes their interests, what matters professionally to them, and what they’re looking for.
Build quality content, which will naturally incorporate keywords and help to answer your visitors’ questions and concerns. More importantly, when visitors find your site, they’ll become interested in what your company has to offer. This will lead to a higher percentage converting. Visitors will come to trust your company as an industry leader who can help them find what they’re looking for.
Focus on building a conversion friendly website. Whether a customer arrives on the web page from a QR code or web address on a direct mail postcard or through a Google search, the site should have a clear sitemap, show obvious value for the customer, and make it easy for them to convert into customers.
Customers don’t like having to hunt around for phone numbers, addresses, or the chance to sign up for products and services, so don’t make them. Prominent, easy-to-use buttons are great additions. Neuromarketing also tells us little tips, such as offering customers choices (even if the choices are meaningless) will improve conversion rates. For example, customers are more likely to sign up for a newsletter that comes with a ‘sign me up now’ button next to a ‘no thanks, I like wasting money’ button, rather than a newsletter with just a sign up button.
There’s no doubt getting chatter on your site is addicting and exciting. Everyone who’s ever built a website knows how enticing it is to watch the number of visitors increase. When it comes to a successful marketing campaign, however, it’s important to remember to measure the right things. Visitor counts don’t matter unless conversion rates also rise. Spend your time attracting quality leads, and watch the important metrics increase for genuine success.
Keeping Leads Alive and Healthy
03 Jan 2014 Leave a Comment
in Marketing, Marketing TIPS Tags: follow-up, Sales, sales leads
Keeping Leads Alive and Healthy
Take Your Time
Nobody wants to feel as though they’re being overtly sold a particular product or pressured into making a buying decision that might not be right for them. Yet many sales reps are very quick to launch right into a sales pitch or offer quick-fix solutions without fully understanding a prospect’s needs. This approach tends to turn off a lot of prospects and quickly kill leads.
Who are you to them?
Instead of launching right into your sales speech, start the conversation without broaching the subject of sales at all. For example, if the lead came from a list of customers who are using an outdated software system, begin by asking how the current system is working for them. Some companies may not even realize that they should consider updating. Approaching the subject from this perspective can seem less pushy and help the prospective customer feel more comfortable talking with you. From there, you can gradually ease into a more sales-oriented conversation.
Build Rapport
Get to know your prospect and their particular needs before discussing budgets and product specifications. Then tailor your approach accordingly. Establish rapport and let your customer see that you have a genuine interest in solving their problem, not just making a sale. Even if you don’t make an immediate sale, your prospect will leave the meeting with a more positive impression of your company and will be more likely to turn to you when they’re ready to make a purchase in the future.
Follow Up
Don’t make your first meeting with a prospect your last contact with that person. Follow up to remind them what you talked about and to keep your name top of mind. A poll conducted byB2B Marketing Magazine found that 69 percent of buyers preferred to have companies follow up with them through e-mail. Telephone follow-up finished a distant second, at 17 percent. SCi Sales Group found that 52 percent of buyers expected a call back from companies within one day, and another 36 percent said they expected to hear back from a company within five days. Failure to meet buyers’ expectations on these issues can result in a variety of missed opportunities.
Resurrecting Dead Leads
Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, leads die. Some, however, can still be resurrected. Successfully generating sales from a dead lead requires tact and the right tools.
Once a lead has gone cold, it can be difficult to determine if the prospect still has a need for your product. Your first step should be to determine this potential. Remember again that prospects don’t appreciate pushy sales tactics. Instead, try sending a brief, one or two line email to determine if they’re still interested in your product. If the response is positive, follow up right away with a phone call, asking for a time to sit down and meet. In your meeting, steer the conversation toward the prospect’s needs and solving their problems, rather than focusing on your product or pushing for a sale.
Keeping leads alive and healthy is an important part of doing business. In the rush to get as many leads as possible, it’s easy to let some leads die. These leads, however, can be a major source of revenue for your company. Learning how to keep leads alive or save those that have gone cold is an important skill… and one that can improve your company’s bottom line.
Does Your Business Have Religion?
07 Sep 2013 Leave a Comment
in Marketing TIPS Tags: beliefs, core values, Sales, selling
Tom Watson, Sr., the legendary leader of IBM, reportedly said that in order for a company to become truly great, it needs religion.
The kind of religion Watson was referring to is the idea that a great company needs to have core beliefs. It needs to have a unifying message that all employees adhere to. Some refer to this as a vision and mission statement for the company.
Why is this important?
When you clearly state what you and your company are all about, you’re announcing to the marketplace what you consider important and what people should expect from you.
This can have a powerful effect. When you clearly stand for something, you often stand apart in a competitive marketplace. When you make your core belief something unique, your company will be seen as extraordinary in a world of copycat dullness.
Your Credo
Credo is Latin for “I believe.” A strong credo not only unifies everyone in the company but also helps attract like-minded customers who want to be a part of an extraordinary company experience.
A credo should be more than flowery statements, which are only meant to go on the company plaque and the back of your business cards. A true credo should state your most strongly held beliefs and core values. It should be the North Star that guides your company’s focus and direction.
If you don’t have a credo or vision statement for your company, it’s time to create one. If you have an old one that no one in the company can recall, it’s time to revisit it and create a memorable one.
Don’t be afraid to share with the world — with clarity and boldness — exactly what you believe in and what you focus on. Much like the original IBM, which went from 1,300 employees and $4.5 million in sales to over 72,500 employees and $897 million in sales at the time of Watson’s death, having a company religion and sharing it openly with the world can help skyrocket your business, too.
6 Ways to Ramp Up Your Referral Marketing
26 Aug 2013 Leave a Comment
in increase business ideas Tags: CRM, goals, referrals, relationship building, Sales, Sales Calls, sales tips, time management, tips
It’s no secret that one of the best ways to grow a business is through strong referrals. Whether these referrals come to you through a system you have in place or because of the solid reputation your business has built over the years, each referral is a precious gift. You have one chance to turn this opportunity into a client who will in turn refer others to your business.
If you drop the ball in some way, not only will you lose this chance for new business, but you could also discourage others from referring business to you. Therefore, you must handle these warm leads with extreme care. Here are six key steps to consider as you guide a referral into becoming a real customer.
- Respond quickly. Nothing will stop a referral process faster than slow response and showing a lack of urgency in communication. Lead360 conducted a study of 25 million data points which showed that successful conversion rates are 391% higher when a lead is called back within a minute, 120% within two minutes, 98% within three minutes, 62% in under thirty minutes, and 36% in under an hour. Clearly calling back and following up with referrals quickly is the first and most important part of the process.
- Gather information and qualify. Once contact has been made, it’s time to gather any necessary information to make sure there’s a good fit between what the referral is looking for and what you can provide. Having relevant, open-ended questions to ask will help you find what you’re looking for while at the same time establishing your expertise in helping solve client problems. This is the time to develop insight into the scope of the opportunity and key factors.
- Be the expert. Once you’ve established that the referral is a good fit for your business, it’s time to do your homework. You must spend a little time to learn about the referral’s business. The more you learn about what your prospect is looking to solve, the better you can prepare a solution. This in turn will position you as the expert who took the time to present a customized solution when your competitors offered a generic, cookie-cutter bid.
- Make your offer stand out. The best way to make your offer stand out is by adding value. People like to buy, but they don’t like to be sold to. You can add value and help your offer stand apart by helping a referral evaluate your capability and see their problem clearer. Relevant, simple, and insightful information that helps your prospect will lead them to buy much more readily than if they feel they are being sold to.
- Use technology. As great as your memory may be, relying on the old pen-and-paper system is just asking for trouble. The way to truly systematize the referral process is by using a CRM system that can help you track your referrals. Determine if the software will help you give the prospects the experience you set in your action plan. But remember that technology can only go so far. Sure, it can help you manage the referrals, but converting those leads into customers takes the human touch that only you can provide. There are two great popular programs, SAGE ACT http://www.act.com/ and SalesForce http://www.salesforce.com/
- Create a powerful experience. Turning a referral into a client can be as simple as contacting them quickly with information they’re seeking. However, the real secret to make them truly want to do business with you on a consistent basis is to create a “wow” experience. Your “wow” experience doesn’t have to be complex.
Building it can be as simple as:
• Responding to inquiries within 30 minutes
• Offering a small gift or thank you note for contacting you
• Sending a small gift or thank you to the person who made the referral
• Delivering a professionally prepared, customized solution with clear information
• Following up after the sale to answer any questions
• Being persistent without being a pest
Turning referrals into customers is not an act of magic or accomplished through luck. It’s done by developing an action plan and by implementing the plan. Keep track, stay organized, and monitor the process. Referral marketing can be a gift that keeps on giving, but only if it’s treated with the care and respect it deserves.
5 Keys to Getting Past the Gatekeeper
26 Jul 2013 Leave a Comment
in Marketing, Marketing TIPS Tags: cold calling, gatekeeper, Sales
Keys to getting past the Gatekeeper!
In business, the term “gatekeeper” refers to the person who has the authority to control access to the decision maker in the company. The gatekeeper guards and monitors traffic to the person in charge. In most companies, getting an appointment with the decision maker requires getting past the gatekeeper.
Selling to the decision maker requires learning the art and skill of gracefully getting past the gatekeeper. Here are five keys to help you get started:
Key #1: Speak with authority.
Whether you’re the CEO of your company or not, you need to speak with confidence. You want to be perceived as a person of authority making the call. Speak with authority, assurance, and self-confidence. Gatekeepers are trained to keep salespeople out but are much more likely to let an authority figure through.
Key #2: The gatekeeper is your friend.
The gatekeeper can be your ally if you treat them with the utmost respect and courtesy. Remember that they have a job to do and that they may even have the power to make decisions on whether or not to buy. It’s vital to recognize from your first contact that dealing with a gatekeeper can be a make or break proposition.
Key #3: Ask for help.
Everyone likes to feel useful and helpful. People like to help others, but few like to help a salesman. Put yourself in the position of a person needing help instead of a pushy salesperson. You can quickly disarm a gatekeeper by asking questions to help both of you. You want to speak with the correct person, and they don’t want anyone wasting the time of the person they are protecting.
You can accomplish this by asking a simple question right at the beginning. For example, “I provide (your services) and believe that (decision maker’s name) is the person that I should be speaking with. Is that correct?”
By asking for help in this way, you have gotten to the point quickly and have empowered the gatekeeper to either begin the conversation by asking you to set an appointment or by directing you to the right person.
Key #4: Referrals are a big help.
Obviously, having a name to use as a referral to the decision maker can help pave the way in getting past the gatekeeper. Another, less used referral method occurs when you make an initial call to a company and someone informs you that you should be speaking with someone else (and gives you that person’s name). Using the name of the person you spoke with as a point of reference when calling the person they referred you to can help to break the ice and move you past the gatekeeper.
Key #5: Make it fun.
Very few people will admit that they actually enjoy making a cold call. You can help take the drudgery out of it by setting goals for yourself and building momentum from there. Begin by setting up a variety success metrics, such as finding the right decision maker’s name, determining the best times to call, leaving your name and number for a call back, and making a small connection or bonding with the gatekeeper. Success can mean more than getting through to the decision maker and setting up an appointment. Celebrate the smaller victories along the way.
There’s truth in the adage that cold calling is a numbers game. The more calls you can make, the more chances you’ll have of getting appointments and closing sales. Likewise, the more positive contacts you can make with a gatekeeper, the better your odds of turning that person into an ally who will let you through to the decision maker you’re hoping to reach.
Why Sales Should Be Your #1 Priority
28 Jun 2013 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Sales
One of the keys to a successful business — and a fulfilled life in general — is to not only have a plan but to also have forward momentum pushing you in the direction you want to go. Many times, the problem in moving forward isn’t the goal but the struggle to generate the drive needed to accomplish what needs to get done.
When the momentum is lacking, it’s easy to become disheartened and slack off or abandon the goal altogether in favor of looking for a new magic bullet. In almost all cases, the missing ingredient is very close. Typically, that missing key involves taking massive action. Not just any action, but action that is focused on the fundamental steps needed to drive the company forward. More often than not, that action revolves around sales. After all, if there are no sales, there is no business.
“Nothing happens until a sale is made.”
Every business and industry has its own subtleties and nuances when it comes to sales, but there are core activities that apply to all.
What are these core activities?
Generating sales momentum is not as complicated or difficult as you might think, but you must have an effective plan for prospecting every single day. Begin by dedicating time on your calendar for prospecting and getting new clients. Nothing should interfere with this. Focusing on prospecting and sales is what creates forward momentum for the entire organization.
Sales should be the number one focus, whether you are a one-man show or a company with hundreds of employees. If sales activities aren’t the focus and the priority, they’ll be too easy to put off until tomorrow. You’ll always have fires to put out and other tasks to attend to. Making sales the number one priority for the whole organization creates the momentum to move the entire company forward.
If sales is not the number one priority in your company, try this approach. For the next 30 days, make sales your number one priority every day. Don’t stop selling even when you pick up new clients.
Create a dedicated time on your calendar every day for prospecting. Create and send direct mailers, make phone calls to reach out to prospects, attend a networking event, give a talk, send personalized emails, and visit top clients, asking for referrals. Seek momentum. It’s the wind for sailing the ship forward. Dedicated, laser-like focus on prospecting and selling activities creates that momentum.
If you perform these activities without fail for 30 days, you’ll be amazed at the positive energy you create. That activity and the results it brings will give you the boost and motivation to continue. Success and growth in business comes from focused sales momentum. Dedicate the next 30 days to making a permanent shift toward becoming a sales-focused company.
If Sales Are Slow…
05 Apr 2013 Leave a Comment
in Marketing TIPS Tags: Sales, value propositions
If Sales Are Slow…
You’ve probably heard the saying, “People like to buy, but they don’t like being sold to.” But you may wonder what it really means.
It means that people are buying what you sell. It means people are spending money. But it also means that people are only willing to open their wallets and part with their money if one condition is met first. That condition is met when you’ve presented a clear value proposition.
Wikipedia defines a value proposition as “a business or marketing statement that describes why a customer should buy a product or use a service. It is a clearly defined statement that is designed to convince customers that one particular product or service will add more value or better solve a problem than others in its competitive set.”
In plain speak, this means a prospect won’t buy from you until the value of your products and services is clearly presented in such a way that the decision to buy is second nature. This value must also be superior to what competitors are offering.
This value proposition doesn’t mean lowering your price or being the cheapest in the marketplace. That’s typically a losing value proposition. A winning value proposition is one where you add benefits that others can’t or won’t match.
Once you’ve defined your winning value proposition, it’s time to clearly communicate that statement with your audience via all of the marketing and sales channels available to you.
Sales will improve dramatically once you’ve articulated a clear and powerful value proposition. You’ll know it’s the right one when your prospects feel like they’re buying from you, not just being sold to.
Flash Sale Marketing Tips
25 Dec 2012 Leave a Comment
in offers Tags: flash mob, offers, Sales
Flash sales have become one of the marketing industry’s hottest new ways to not only grab attention but also boost web traffic and create front-of-mind awareness. While email is typically the key driver of flash sale campaigns, social media is a close follower. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your next flash sale marketing campaign:
- Create urgency with a short time window for your sales. These can range from a few hours to a day or two maximum. The longer customers put off buying, the less likely they are to make a purchase. Studies show that flash sales with a three-hour window have the best transaction-to-click rates. Most purchases are made within the first hour.
- Be sure your inventory is adequate for a flash sale, and alert customers if supplies are limited.
- Consider a flash sale with an open-ended coupon promo to increase foot traffic. For example, you might offer a $150 salon coupon for only $75 from 11am-1pm.
- Use multiple avenues to spread the word quickly. These may include email, texting, mobile coupons, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social sites.
- Encourage recipients to share or forward your message to their friends.
- Create an attention-grabbing subject line or header, and follow through with a concise message that communicates the necessary details of your sale.
- Consider sending a reminder. Light a fire under the feet of customers who are interested but dragging their heels, and remind them that your offer expires soon.
- Remember that timing is everything, so determine the best times to blast your recipients. The most common times for a flash sale revolve around lunch or evenings, making the sale accessible to buyers who work during the day.
- Monitor your social accounts closely during a flash sale, since customers will want immediate answers to any potential questions or concerns before the sale expires.
- Consider mailing postcards for big weekend flash sale events to grab attention and give customers a little extra time to prepare for your sale. For example, grab attention with an oversized postcard that says “Save 40% off everything in our store for four hours only on Saturday!”
- Consider offering a live online counter to show how many “deals” have been purchased. Popularity sells, so if XX other people thought it was a good deal, many others will think they need to buy one, too.
- Suggest that shoppers follow you on Facebook or Twitter to ensure they don’t miss out on your next exciting sale!
Are you a salesperson or a consultant?
04 Dec 2012 Leave a Comment
in Marketing Tags: be sold to, consultants, Sales, selling
It really doesn’t matter what your title is or even what industry you serve. At one level, everybody’s in the position of selling something to somebody.
But here’s the dilemma: If you ask, most people will readily admit they don’t like being sold. Many businesses have “No Soliciting” signs on their doors. Many will slam the phone down the moment they realize you’re trying to sell them. Even if you’re selling in person, the moment the topic turns to sales, the excuses of why they can’t buy what you’re selling begin to fly.
So how do you get around this dilemma?
Stop thinking about just selling and instead think about what kind of value you can provide. Think of yourself as a consultant. A salesperson sells products and services. A good consultant first figures out what their prospects really need to make their lives better and then creates a solution to make that pain go away.
To offer real and unique value, you must first gather and collect data about your prospect. Yes, this takes work, but it is precisely this kind of work that results in bringing real value and building a long-term, mutually profitable business relationship.
Transforming yourself from a salesperson to a consultant begins with a change in your mindset. All of the prospects and customers you could ever want are right under your nose waiting for your solutions. But remember: they don’t want to be sold. They want you to show them your expertise first. They want you to prove you have their best interest at heart. Most importantly, they want to know that your solution will make their pain go away.
That’s what a good consultant does.
Trade Show Fashion Faux Pas
02 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Marketing, Uncategorized Tags: fashion, Sales, tradeshows
It doesn’t take a fashion expert to know that some things don’t belong at trade shows. Here are a few examples of what not to wear at trade shows and other business events:
Too much or too little. There is nothing worse than freezing or sweating at a networking event. Dress in comfortable layers that you can easily add or remove as needed, such as a suit jacket over a dress shirt.
Clothing without a pocket or two. Pockets are always handy for business cards, pens, breath mints, etc.
New shoes. While new shoes may look nice, nothing looks worse than missing out on important introductions because you can’t stand to be on your feet. Trade shows usually involve long hours and lots of standing and walking. Stay in the game by picking a shoe that’s made for walking, or watch the competition walk all over you.
Cologne. Fragrances should be alluring, not overpowering. If you are within talking distance and can smell someone’s perfume or cologne, it is too strong.
Clothes which are too tight, too short, too revealing. No matter whether your pants are popping a button because they shrunk in your closet or are snug by choice, clothing that is too tight is not only unprofessional but distracting.
Gaudy jewelry. You want to be remembered for your personality or impressive product knowledge, not your giant jangling earrings or over-jeweled hands.
